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The Story of DARIEN Connecticut BY KENNETH M. REISS Published by the Darien Historical Society 280 pages, fully illustrated Available for purchase at the Society 45 Old Kings Highway North, Darien

The Story of Darien Connecticut

By Kenneth M. Reiss

About the book:

        Even though it is one of the smallest towns in one of the smallest states, Darien is uniquely positioned in an area that is extraordinarily rich in history. It was an offspring of Puritan New England that was quickly drawn into the orbit of New York City, and it has been pushed and pulled by both ever since. The bloody rivalry between the Connecticut Yankees and the New York based Tories brought constant conflict to Darien during the Revolution. Later, wealthy families and their foreign-born servants arrived on the new railroad, bringing disruption of a different kind. Then, as local farming collapsed and industries grew nearby, the once-rural town quickly evolved into a residential suburb. The automobile became ubiquitous, and the town’s roads were overwhelmed with motor traffic. The motor car also opened back-country Darien to a flood of new residents, which created unprecedented demand for schools and services.

        This is not a conventional town history filled with family trees and footnotes. Rather, it is a recognition that much of what happens to a town this size, happens because of what is going on in the greater world: the country’s wars, westward expansion, technological change, growing populations. All have left their mark. The Story of Darien, Connecticut is a progression of analyses and anecdotes that shows how and why the town evolved from its beginnings in the 1600s to what it is today.

Published by the Darien Historical Society and available for purchase at $75.

        Ken Reiss’s lifelong pursuit of history has in recent years been most sharply focused on the story of Darien Connecticut. He has served seven years on the Board of the Darien Historical Society, four of them as president. For the past six years, he has been researching and writing this book. Ken Reiss spent his childhood in Schenectady, NY and Stratford, CT. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in English with a minor in history. After a 30 year career editing and publishing business magazines, he joined his wife, Catherine Sylvia Reiss, selling antique prints, maps and ephemera. Together they helped found the Antiques Council, a deal organization that manages antiques shows for charity sponsors. Since retiring from that business a few years ago, he has occupied his time endeavoring to introduce local audiences to their predecessors. The Reisses live in Darien and in Vinalhaven, Maine.

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